The Knesset voted on Wednesday 61 to 59 (that’s a number we’ll be hearing over and over for a while) to remove the restriction on the number of ministers the government can appoint from a limit of 18.
This was the third and final reading, and paved the way for Netanyahu to make all his needed ministerial appointment.
The extra ministers serve two important purposes.
The first is that it stabilizes the coalition.
The second, less recognized reason, is that a government the size of Israel only benefits by having enough ministers managing specific sectors, rather than concentrating numerous tasks on fewer ministers, who can’t realistically dedicate enough time or focus to everything they’re put in charge of.
The previous coalition had 22 members. This coalition may have only 20.
It also allows Netanyahu to bring in the Zionist Union and have ministerial positions to offer them.